Compassion Has a Price
by rina77
Summary: Sasuke has risen to the height of the acting world and lives comfortably with the knowledge that nobody knows what he really is. Things become complicated when he meets a certain intoxicating blonde. First Vampfic! Before all that Twilight crap
1. New Scent

**Disclaimer: **I do not, for argument's and infringement's sake, own any of the cast of Naruto characters. Sad as it may be, it's true. If I did, it wouldn't be viewed by the youth. -smirk-

**Pairing: **The ever beloved Sasuke/Naruto

**Rating: **M for future content

**Summary: **Sasuke had risen to the height of the acting world and lived comfortably with the knowledge that people didn't know what he really was. Things become complicated when he meets a certain intoxicating blonde.

**Author's Note: **Thanks for choosing this fic to read, all ye faithful SasuNaru fans! This will be the first SasuNaru fic I post on here, so please be nice to lil ol' me and leave me lots of goodies. -puppy eyes- This is, as of now, unbeta'ed. If anybody would be so kind as to want to be my beta, let me know. Thanks. And so, with no further adieu, enjoy the show! -bows out as large curtain ascends-

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**Compassion Has a Price**

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_Thirst. It used to be such a simple concept. A simple necessity. Thirst is what drove the ignorant war, along with the guns that forbade it. It was a new world. A world of division. Two sides starved for dominance. Constantly watching and waiting for the precise moment to turn the tables onto the other. Perhaps gain some form of an advantage, however small it may have been. _

_We had become unsure of ourselves. Who else was there to trust? Our own kind? Even amongst ourselves, there was deceit. Choice. Another notion deemed unfit for both races. Innocent lives had been sacrificed for that petty war. Countless souls taken in both survival and in hasty mistakes. Blood had been spilt, staining my own hands as well. I was an abomination._

--

The raven growled as a slender hand disappeared under the hem of his dark pants, teasing his length.

"I said stop, Haruno-san."

The short girl giggled. "Now, now Sasuke-kun. Don't be like that. You know you want this as much as I do." she cooed, never stilling her hand.

The boy grabbed the slim wrist as his body began to react, much to his dislike, and threw it back to her harshly. He had done the pink haired girl a favor by, barely, stopping himself from ripping off her arm and bashing her over the head with it, but the hurt look on her face said otherwise.

"Look, Haruno-san. I'm not looking for a relationship right now. I'm sorry, but I'm not the right one for you." he sighed in irritation.

Sasuke should have pressed charges on her for sexual harassment, though he supposed that would present large stacks of paper work before him and that, consequentially, would only lead to a massive headache and unnecessary court proceedings. Sakura pouted unattractively.

"How can you say that? I've seen the way you look at me around the set and when we're performing together." Sasuke raised his eyebrow at her protest.

_How is it that I look at her?_

His back dug further into the wall as Sakura pressed her body roughly against his own, her wet sea green eyes trapped on his dark onyx.

"Sasuke-kun." she breathed, a small blush finding its way onto her cheeks.

Placing pale hands on her fragile shoulders, the raven haired boy pushed the other slightly, forcing a distance between them. Sasuke made sure he had her full attention before speaking. "Haruno-san, if I've done something to give you false assumptions, I'm sorry. I'm really not looking to get involved with someone right now."

It was the truth. Relationships were too troublesome and only interfered with his work. Single and content was being seriously mistaken for lonely and looking.

She let out a heavy sigh, her eyes to the ground. "I understand. Well, when you're ready to start dating, will you look me up?" He sighed again. It seemed he'd been doing that a lot around her.

"Maybe." Sasuke gave her a small smile. He decided that was the best way to answer the poor thing without causing her to pester him further. It's not that he disliked women, he just couldn't stand any of the ones that he worked with.

Instantly, her face brightened. "It's not a no, so there's still hope." With a quick wink, she bounced away from the other and back into the lobby after picking up her bag. Running shaky fingers through his long dark hair, Sasuke turned into the lobby as well.

He'd been ignoring the knots tying themselves inside him and the fuzzy vision for nearly seven hours already, but the queasiness had started up and there were no more hopes of stalling. He needed to feed.

He passed several large TV screens positioned against the walls on either side of the lobby, a good distance above his head. Each played the same thing. The latest RTC produced commercial, something along the lines of a sparkling new drink. RTC. Recruiting Talent Company. All rising young stars dreamt of being recognized there, and a certain Uchiha was lucky enough to have started off his career with such a highly respected agency as RTC.

Of course, there were countless other talent agencies around the country, but RTC was by far one of the best. Twenty two years old and at the peak of his popularity, Sasuke was the most loved actor in all of Japan.

"Oi! Uchiha-sama!"

Sasuke turned toward the voice to find one of his co-workers. He was becoming rather accustomed to being stopped both on the streets and in the station, so he gave a professional smile toward the man.

"Nice work today. We'll continue shooting tomorrow at 8:30. Don't forget to tell that lazy manager of yours to get you here on time." the stocky man grinned, apparently pleased that he was regarded in such a friendly manner.

Sasuke nodded with a quick well-wishing and left the building. Outside, a sleek black Mercedes was resting just beyond the doors. Several people walked by and gawked. "Wow. It looks so expensive." Some would announce, while others would settle for a quieter, "Is it foreign?"

Once inside the passenger seat, he shook awake the sleeping man at the wheel. "Shikamaru, wake up." Sasuke demanded as the other opened an eye lazily.

"Finished already? Couldn't you have let me finish my dream?" he drawled, ruffling his hair and began to re-do his high ponytail.

The man had left to the car halfway through the shoot, mumbling about being tired and needing a nap. Sasuke didn't mind. Actually, he preferred not having the man watching over his shoulder. It made him feel uneasy at times, while mostly it just irked him that his manager felt he needed looking over. He didn't need to be baby sat and he didn't expect to be treated as such, especially by such a lazy day dreamer.

"No. We need to get to the next location." he shook his head, his hands shaking as he ran his fingers through his dark hair to clear it from his tired eyes.

Shikamaru eyed him curiously. "You're pale." Sasuke avoided the brunet's eye.

"I'm always pale." The engine started.

"You need to feed." he stated, pulling out of the parking lot and onto the highway. Damn Shikamaru for always being so perceptive. It was unexpected, really, the way he always seemed to be sleeping. One would think he would be in a constant sleepy fog.

The raven sighed. "I can hold out a little longer." The car was quiet for a long while as the men watched the road ahead of them.

"I've never questioned you before, but don't jeopardize your work by not taking care of yourself." There were few people who knew that Sasuke was a vampire. Nara Shikamaru, his manager, and the other was the president of RTC. The less people who knew, the safer he was. He still didn't understand how the president had found out. When Shikamaru had been appointed his manager, he was told about the raven.

"Shikamaru," The brunet took his eyes away from the car in front of them to glance at the other. "Stop worrying. You'll give yourself a stroke."

Shikamaru chuckled. "From all the stress you put me through, I wouldn't be surprised. Although, if it came down to a stroke, better me than you." he said, his voice lacking the joking tone that would've brushed the subject aside. Instead, it was serious and a heavy weight. The rest of the drive was quiet.

It was getting later into the afternoon and he hoped he could keep his promise to the other beside him. He could only pray that he would make it through his lines without pouncing on the nearest warm blooded thing and drain them dry of every last drop of the liquid he hated the most, but needed so desperately.

--

_T-this is RTC?!_

The dumbstruck blonde stood wide eyed in front of the large building, a few people accidentally kicking his jaw as they walked by. He shut his sky blue eyes tightly and shook his head. "Geez. Why am I getting intimidated? Stupid building." he grumbled angrily to himself before stepping through the large polished doors.

The inside was no different. The boy had to snap his jaw shut to stop the awkward stares. His eyes scanned the vast room and crowds of people.

_She's got to be here somewhere._

He craned his neck to better look around him, clutching the plastic bag in his tanned hand.

Suddenly, a pink head emerged from the crowd and green eyes met his. "Hey, Naruto, there you are!" she smiled, striding towards the blonde.

"Hey, Sakura. I got your message. Here you go." he grinned, holding out the bag to her.

She took it gratefully. "You're a life-saver." she smiled. It was one of Sakura's rare breath catching smiles that made Naruto think he might fall for her, if he weren't gay.

They had been friends since childhood and shared an apartment, for money reasons. Actually, the bubblegum haired girl had more than enough money to buy two houses for herself due to her rising popularity. Naruto, on the other hand, had been lucky enough to land a cleaning job in a hotel near their place. It wasn't all that bad, only that his boss was lazy and always left his office…dirty after spending what he called "quality time" with his boyfriend.

He wasn't much of a television person, rarely watching anything at all besides the occasional all-nighter when Sakura decided to have a movie night. The only time he bothered with the thing was when his pink haired roommate informed him of a role she had starred in for some drama or other production. He had to admit to himself, if not to her directly without a few cracks and playful sarcasm, that she was quite good.

Because Naruto had grown up learning to fend for himself, he took care of their meals. He'd learned to never trust Sakura with a washing machine or a broom, so to put it simply: the well-being and overall survival of their living environment was in his hands. "Next time, don't leave your lunch on the counter." he scolded.

The girl laughed lightly. "Yes, mother." she teased, bringing a hand up to ruffle his golden head.

Over the years, the blonde had grown several inches taller than her, but she still couldn't resist acting a bit childishly if it meant she could touch those silky locks of his. No matter how many times she conditioned her hair, she could never compete against the blonde strands. They were unnaturally soft. Naruto swatted at her hand in mock irritation, a grin stretched across his full lips.

Sakura began to prattle on, in detail, about her latest roll as the front doors slid open. Uchiha Sasuke raked fine fingers through his dark hair and stifled a yawn. The night before had been unusually rough.

He'd nearly collapsed when he had reached his apartment after leaving his last job for the night, his hands had been shaking so much that he could hardly open the bottle of blood pills. Swallowing the damned things was half the battle. His throat had closed up from the lack of the minuscule remedy, the pills finally going down with a glass of water. He had gotten used to the bitter after taste of the blood pills, however, whenever he took them, the anxiety that always took over was almost unbearable. The sensation was familiar to him after so many years of needing to tame his hunger and the sleepless nights were only to be expected.

It was unpleasant, but as long as it kept him from feeding on humans, he would endure it.

It had been centuries since the Great War had taken place, the bloody battle waged between the humans and the vampire race. It was when the vampires had risen up in retaliation to the abuse and segregation they had been exposed to. They had finally come to a truce some years after all of the senseless fighting and the two species lived separate existences. The vampires went into hiding and fed only on animals, while the humans roamed the streets freely without the worry of being attacked.

By the eighteen-hundred's, blood pills were invented by those that were suppressed and fed up with surviving on the blood of animals and thought of as monsters. They kept the blood thirst under control and to a minimum, but the craving was always there. It could never satisfy the taste of the real thing.

Sasuke had been bitten and turned at a young age, loosing his family and his human life to a madman. He'd been taught of the Great War while he was still gasping for his new existence, writhing on the floor in his own blood. He knew of the blood pills and of the nature he was forcibly subjected to. He'd never taken the blood of a living thing, surviving only on blood pills.

He would continue to do so till the day he died.

He slowed in his steps, his eyes curious. The air felt different. It _smelled_ different. It was intoxicating. He searched the crowds around him for the source, not understanding the meaning of the new scent.

Immediately, his eyes fell on a chunk broken off from the sun itself somehow contained in the middle of the RTC lobby. Realization sank in that it, in fact, wasn't a piece of the sun, but rather a mop of radiating blonde hair.

_This smell…_

The raven hummed distractedly to himself, taking a tentative step toward the ball of light. The aroma intensified and threatened to overpower him. His rapid heartbeat drummed in his ears and his eye lashes fluttered fleetingly, relishing in the heady scent. He felt numb and the tips of his fingers tingled as if they were asleep, though he couldn't give a flying fuck at the moment. He smelled again, this time with a deeper intake of the air, and physically shook with the sensations he was bombarded with.

He was torn violently back to reality as he realized another shocking head of hair beside the blonde.

Pink…dear God…so much pink.

Sakura's features changed so quickly from a pleasant smile into a face splitting grin that Naruto was amazed the girl didn't pull a muscle. "Sasuke-kun!" she called excitedly.

Once again, her light haired roommate was concerned if all things would remain physically intact as she waved enthusiastically at an almost frighteningly rapid rate. Sasuke cringed slightly at the thought of being within a ten foot radius of the urchin.

Naruto turned to better look at whoever it was his long time friend had been so happy to see.

Said Uchiha froze. The addictive atmosphere surrounding the boy next to the repulsive woman had been nearly forgotten in his loathing of his insane co-worker with an unnaturally large forehead. However, the moment the boy had turned, the dizzying sensation crashed back into him with a vengeance.

What was wrong with him? Why did this guy smell so much more…irresistible than everyone else? Why did he have the sudden urge to touch the tan skin and trail his hands through the startling golden tresses? The other was undeniably gorgeous. Perfectly sculpted fingers, arms, chin, neck…

The slender neck had caught and held his attention.

The boy's collar bone peeked out from a loose dark blue t-shirt and the slender curves of his neck flexed tauntingly as he tilted his head this way and that ever so slightly. If only he could sink his teeth into that flesh. Feel the heated skin between his lips. Taste the sweet flow running through penetrable veins-

No! This was bad. Very bad. Sasuke would not succumb and become a mindless animal. He needed to keep his distance.

"Sasuke-kun!" His head snapped up and realized that Sakura had approached him, Naruto at her side. He had been so absorbed in his thoughts, he hadn't noticed the others' presence.

Naruto couldn't help running his eyes up and down the dark haired male before him for what seemed like the hundredth time in the past minute. Glowing pale skin stretched over a flawless physique in a beautiful contrast to the burning coal of his eyes and midnight hair.

_Who is this guy?_

The blonde Uzumaki couldn't convince his eyes to retreat back into his skull. Was there really such a person on the same planet? If so, what were the chances that Naruto would be in the same room as him?

"Good afternoon, Haruno-san. You're here early. Shooting doesn't start for another two hours." Sasuke reminded the girl beside his current blue eyed fascination. He couldn't keep his thoughts straight at such a close proximity to Naruto, though he did an excellent job of not showing any such signs of discomfort to the two.

A small shiver ran up Naruto's spine at the deep baritone voice the other possessed. A shiver that did not go unnoticed by the other, who glanced his way quickly before focusing his attention once more on Sakura.

A puckered smile, no doubt an attempt to make herself appealing to him, answered Sasuke and he inwardly decided that it was an ugly look that didn't suit the lean girl's face.

"Well, I'm taking a tiny break before I have to get to work. Naruto just brought me lunch because I left it on the counter by accident. Oh! Naruto, this is Uchiha Sasuke."

Naruto smiled lightly. He once again looked at Sasuke interestedly, his cerulean blue eyes boring into the darker ones. He couldn't be sure, but he thought he caught a fire there that resembled the one he knew was in his own.

_Uchiha Sasuke, huh? So he's got a name._

Sakura waved her arm, demonstrating the boy at her side. "Sasuke-kun, this is my long time friend Uzumaki Naruto." Sasuke nodded in acknowledgement.

At that moment, something happened that caught Sasuke off guard and his curiosity raged, along with the overwhelming scent radiating off of the blonde. Sky blue eyes raked over his body slowly and appreciatively. He felt embarrassed and maybe…flattered. Excited? The eyes moved back to the raven's face, locking onto dark onyx. A bright blush colored Naruto's cheeks, however he didn't remove his gaze from the Uchiha's intense eyes. He couldn't.

Naruto's thoughts toppled over each other, none comprehensible in his shock and embarrassment at being caught staring as he searched desperately for an excuse. Sasuke raised a finely arched eyebrow and Naruto's mind flat lined. Was it possible for somebody to be so amazingly beautiful? And that unbelievably gorgeous person had caught him eyefucking him.

Sasuke mentally patted himself on the back. He had successfully prevented himself from looking at all bothered when the other had met his eyes after thoroughly checking him out. Instead, he had raised an elegant brow, increasing the other's scarlet color. Sasuke decided that Naruto was much more adorable like that.

Wait, what was he thinking? He wasn't gay, so why was he thinking that another guy was adorable? It must just be hormones. After all, every female that he worked with was well, a disappointment.

It was also a good probability that this strange, cruel fascination with him had caused Sasuke to find Naruto somewhat attractive. Alright, extremely attractive. But was it really all thanks to this growing need to devour the blonde and give into his animalistic yearning? The thought disgusted Sasuke. Not because it was Naruto he was desperately entranced with, but because it was his own weakness that was having such an effect on him.

"Like what you see?" he asked smugly, a small smirk reaching his thin lips as the other huffed.

"Why would I? You teme." he grumbled and crossed his arms over his chest.

Sasuke now found himself staring at that chest. The loose fitting material had stretched across his toned front at the action. He pried his eyes away from the other's body, his thoughts screaming at him in retaliation and he scowled angrily, the glare he directed at the blonde not completely fake. "Teme?" he asked, a hint of menace behind his tone.

Naruto smirked.

_One point for me._

Said teme realized a smirking Naruto equaled a hot Naruto. He cursed himself silently for thinking such things in the situation he was in.

"Yes, teme. That's what you are." At first, he went straight into panic mode after calling Sasuke a bastard, vowing to go into hiding for the rest of his life or something along those lines.

The moment the dark haired Uchiha reacted, however, he decided it was much more fun to pull some sort of emotion out of him other than just a stare or a quick nod. Also, he wanted to memorize every inflection of that voice. He had no idea what it was about Sasuke, but he was completely fascinated by him. It wasn't just his good looks, though that had a large part in it, but also the way he presented himself. He appeared confident and smug, but there was a sadness to him that Naruto couldn't figure out. It must've been something traumatic that had caused him to be this way, secretly hiding his sorrow and discomfort. Naruto didn't like it.

Before Sasuke could retort, a hand placed itself on his shoulder. "We came here to see the president. Let's not keep him waiting, Sasuke." The dark haired male nodded, recognizing Shikamaru's voice.

Sakura nodded to the brunet. "Good afternoon, Nara-san." Maybe if she could get on his good side, he could convince Sasuke to consider her. It was worth a shot, and Shikamaru seemed like a good guy.

Shikamaru nodded to her. "I'm afraid I can't remember your name. what was it again?" he asked earnestly. Why could he never remember her name?

"Haruno Sakura." she reminded him, choking down her embarrassment. How could he not remember her name?! She was a rising star and Sasuke's coworker and future girlfriend. It was true that some names and faces could be easily blurred in showbiz, but not Haruno Sakura. It wasn't right!

"Of course, forgive me Haruno-san. It seems we're running a bit behind schedule. You'll have to excuse us." he exaggerated his point by tapping his watch lightly with a blunt fingernail.

As his manager turned to leave, Sasuke glanced once more at Naruto, only to learn that the other had yet to take his eyes off of him. He smirked. "Later, dobe." The further he walked away from Naruto, the more empty he felt. His chest grew tight when he refused to look back, the suffocating scent that the other possessed ebbing away and leaving the raven to sort through why he was feeling this way.

Naruto watched his back as he walked, noticing how the loose clothing fit his body structure perfectly and how graceful his long legs moved soundlessly. Finally realizing that Sasuke had spoken, he racked his brain to remember what it was that had been said. The raven's words sounded in his head, the insult screaming to be heard. "Hey! What did you call me, teme?!" But the boy had already gone, leaving Naruto standing in the center of the room ranting a long string of obscenities.

He received a swift punch to his head, and turned hurtful eyes to the pink haired girl next to him. "You should think twice before talking about my Sasuke-kun like that again." she huffed, crossing her arms stubbornly.

The newly proclaimed dobe stared at her with disbelief. Why did his chest suddenly feel so tight? His throat felt raw and he had to work some spit into his mouth before he could speak. "Yours?" he asked in a raspy voice, a surge of uneasiness pooling in the pit of his stomach.

Sakura's posture slacked a bit. "Well, not yet. Soon, though. He'll come around." she assured him, holding up a finger and winking, the confidence returning.

Why was he feeling this way? He'd hardly known Uchiha Sasuke for more than ten minutes, and yet the only thing on his mind was to make his childhood friend suffer so much that she would never sleep again for even thinking about getting near him. The uneasiness was building, the pool in his stomach turning to acid. He needed to get away before the acid devoured him.

"Well then, I guess I'll see you at home after work." he said with a quick, strained smile. He turned to leave, feeling that he needed to get out of her presence.

However, Sakura grabbed his arm before he could take a step. "Why don't you stay? You can see me act after we're done eating. Shooting will begin soon after and you'll be able to see Sasuke-kun again, as well." she insisted, smiling that smile.

Naruto cursed the smile for never allowing him the chance to oppose her. Also, he was highly intrigued at the thought of seeing Sasuke again. Sighing, he nodded and smiled at her lightly. She seemed satisfied and dragged him out the doors to enjoy the lunch the blonde was kind enough to bring to her.

--

Sasuke groaned as he buried his face in his hands. It was one of _those_ talks again. The president had an annoying habit of calling him in to discuss his "situation". These maddening visits occurred at least three times a week where he would be asked if he was taking care of himself.

It was a nicer way of making sure he hadn't pulled an innocent civilian off the street and attacking them in a dark alley way. "For the last time, I'm taking the pills." Sasuke mumbled into his palm, addressing the man in front of him.

The president sat behind the thick desk that separated them with his arms folded in front of him. He was a tall man with strips of grey racing along the sides and feathering through the top of his head, dulling out his black hair. He was middle aged with dark, wise eyes and the trusting smile of a child.

"I understand you must be tired of me always asking the same thing when we meet like this." he stated softly, his deep voice filled with tenderness.

"And we have a winner." the dark eyed boy muttered sardonically, more to himself than to the other man.

The president's smile grew slightly, his high cheekbones rising. "Well, that's all for today. You may go."

Sasuke stood all too eagerly, already at the door.

"Oh, and Sasuke."

The younger man shut his eyes in frustration at being denied his freedom.

"Good luck with the drama." The man was never one to be on bad terms with someone, and now it annoyed Sasuke more than ever when all he wanted was to blame the man for his bad mood.

Within the next hour, shooting for the new drama, _Constant Bloom_, would begin. Several promising actors were sought out for the higher roles, Sasuke himself was appointed the lead along with the pink haired insect known as Haruno Sakura. The president had high hopes for _Constant Bloom _and even higher expectations from the director and crew.

He left the office, closing the door with more force than needed. Outside, Shikamaru was leaning against the wall with his arms folded across his chest, his closed eyes cracking open to watch the raven.

"So, how was your little chat with the president?" he asked, already aware of the boy's quickly burning fuse.

"Tiring, as always. Let's just go grab something to eat before we start filming." Sasuke sighed, raking a hand through his dark hair, the action never ruining his carefully styled tresses. It had been a habit of his for as long as he could remember when he was frustrated or nervous. He told himself many times that he would stop, but he could never seem to break away from it.

Shikamaru pushed away from the wall and followed after the other man with his hands in his pockets. "If you keep that up, you'll be bald before you're thirty." he commented as he matched Sasuke's strides, purposefully ignoring the icy glare he received from said man.

"Atleast I won't end up in a coma from lack of brain activity because _I_ don't sleep 20 hours a day." he shot back angrily. His hair was his pride and joy, so he took extra good care of it. Shikamaru shouldn't even joke about something like that.

His manager shrugged. "Still, you should save your energy for _Constant Bloom_. You're going to need it while you're working with that Haruno woman."

Sasuke cringed. He could only pray that he wouldn't have many scenes with her, none at all preferably. Unfortunately, she was the other leading role, therefore he would be forced to be within an arm's length of her more than he would've ever liked.

Realizing he would just have to ignore her presence as much as possible, he decided onigiri sounded as good as anything else for the time being.

--

"Where's that coming from? It sounds like crying." The man searched the clean white area of the hall, speaking to himself softly and observantly. Unable to find the source he turned the corner to the adjacent hall.

It was late in the night and most of the people, aside from the occasional forlorn nurse, had already left the hospital. Upon entering the new hallway, his eyes rested on a fragile looking woman sitting on the floor next to a slightly ajar door.

Pink hair fell upon her shaking shoulders and her face was buried in her hands. Slowly, he approached the crying woman and ran his fingers through his raven hair. His dark eyebrows were brought together in concern and his onyx eyes were filled with tenderness. "Excuse me, are you alright?" he asked softly. He had tried not to startle the girl but she jumped slightly anyway.

Sea green eyes met dark orbs. "What are you doing here at the hospital so late at night?" he asked gently, not wanting to upset her. She sniffled a few times, rubbing her wet eyes.

"It's my father. He collapsed this morning and hasn't woken up yet." she hiccupped and brought her hands to her face, her sobs renewed.

He thought for a moment and kneeled, placing his pale hands on his knees. "Can I ask you something?" She raised her head and stared at him for a moment before nodding. "Does you father love you more than anything?" he asked, and she nodded, albeit confused. He smiled tenderly. "Then he'll definitely wake up to see you and take care of you." His eyes were soft and wise as he watched the woman's face.

She nodded, a small smile crossing her full lips. He stood and held out his hand. "There, then. All better." The woman took his hand and allowed him to help her to her feet, quickly dusting off the back of her clothing.

"Thank you." she said, tucking a piece of pink hair behind her ear. "My name is Suzuki Mika. If I may ask, what's your name?" She began to shake the stranger's hand lightly, as she had yet to let go of it.

"Nakamura Kei." he replied. They stared at each other for a long moment.

"CUT!"

Sasuke released Sakura's hand immediately, turning to look at the director. Sakura brought her hand to her chest and held it tightly, a smile across her face.

_I'm never going to wash this hand again._

She looked at the hand, thinking it over.

_Maybe not._

"FABULOUS! ABSOLUTELY STUPENDOUS! SUCH YOUTH, BOTH OF YOU! I CAN FEEL YOUR PASSION THROUGH THE CAMERA!" A very large, hairy man bounded toward them and placed his strong hands on Sasuke's shoulders.

_The eyebrows…They're just too creepy!_ Sakura thought, cringing.

The director, Maito Gai, was a newcomer to the entertainment industry and was hoping to break into the business with a bang with the newest drama _Constant Bloom_. Upon first impression, Sasuke had decided that the man was unfit to direct such a hopeful drama. The man had a weird habit of crushing people to the brink of insanity with bear hugs. Sasuke cringed at the memory. And to add to the man's strange behavior, he wore an absurd amount of green.

"GO AND REST MY YOUTHFUL STARS! WE WILL RESUME IN BUT A MOMENT! THE NEXT SCENE WILL ONLY BE **MORE** AWE INSPIRING! BUAHAHAHAHA!!!" With that, the large green loving man ran off to one of the camera men to review the tape.

With a heavy sigh, Sasuke strode off to one of the nearby studio walls where Shikamaru was nodding off, his arms folded across his chest. Sakura pouted sadly at the loss of her raven crush and turned to an ecstatic Naruto, who congratulated her on a wonderful performance.

* * *

Review!! Let me know that this story isn't a waste of time. -sniff-


	2. Apologies! Please read

This chapter is a complete AN. First off, let me start by saying that I am so sorry to all those who took an interest in this fic.

There is no excuse for my absense other than that I'm completely unreliable. ;~; The thing is, as it states on my profile, I am incapable of finishing my stories. I'm trying to get past this, but it's rather difficult. As for the reason of this chapter, I'm here to tell you that I plan to continue this fic after re-reading it and realizing that I like it.

So, I will be trying my very best to get past this little slump of mine and try to complete it. I will erase the other stories on my account because I see no future for them. There are two, but neither of them have granted me with much reaction from any readers. On top of that, I realized that they weren't very well written and I've lost all interest in them. That's why, from now on, I plan to write one story at a time in the hopes that I will finish them. I'll only be posting the ones that I really like or the ones that I think are good enough to be shared with you lovely people.

Thanks, and sorry again!

--Rina


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